Washer and method of forming drum thereof

ABSTRACT

A washer and method of forming a drum thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes a body, a tub provided within the body to accommodate water therein, a drum provided within the tub to have at least one lifter built in one body of the drum, and a motor for rotating the drum. Accordingly, the lift and drum are built in one body to perform a role of the lifter sufficiently and a volume of the drum can be maximized by maintaining an exterior size of the drum as it is.

This application claims the benefit of the Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0053810, filed on Jun. 15, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a washer, and more particularly, to a washer and method of forming a drum thereof. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for increasing a volume of a drum by forming a lifter in one body of the drum.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Generally, a drum type washer is a device that washes a laundry by rotating a drum by a drive force of a motor while a detergent, water and laundry are put in the drum. The drum type washer is advantageous in causing little damage to the laundry, preventing the laundry from being raveled and bringing washing effects of beating and rubbing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of a drum type washer according to a related art.

Referring to FIG. 1, a drum type washer according to a related art consists of a body 1, a tub 10 provided within the body 1 to accommodate water therein, a drum rotatably provided within the tub 1, and a motor for rotating the drum 20.

In particular, the body 1 configures an exterior of the drum type washer and a laundry entrance 111 is provided to a front side of the body 1.

In this case, a door 140 for opening/closing the laundry entrance 111 is provided to a portion of the body 1 provided with the laundry entrance 111. And, a gasket 112 is loaded on an inner circumference of the laundry entrance 111 to achieve airtightness between the door 140 and the laundry entrance 111.

Moreover, the tub 10 is provided as supported within the body 1.

A drain passage (not shown in the drawing) is connected to a lower end of the tub 10 to drain the water.

The drum 20, which is rotatably provided within the tub 10, is installed in a manner that an opening of the drum 20 is placed toward the laundry entrance 111 of the body 110.

In particular, a multitude of perforated holes 21 are formed on a circumference of the drum 20 to enable water and steam supplied to the tub 10 to be introduced into the drum 20.

And, a plurality of lifters 60 are provided to an inner surface of the drum 20 to extend in an axial direction corresponding to an axial length of the drum 20.

In the above-configured related art drum type washer, once the drum 20 is rotated by a driving force transferred by the activated motor 30, the loaded laundry and water are lifted up to a prescribed height by the lifter 60 rotated according to the rotation of the drum 20 and then fall down. This process is repeated to generate friction between the laundry, the lifter 20, and the inner surface of the drum 20. Hence, washing can be achieved by both of the friction and the detergent effect.

Meanwhile, the lifter 60, as shown in FIG. 2, is installed within the drum 20 by the locking of a plurality of hooks 61. And, the lifter 60 consists of 3 or 4 pieces.

The pieces of the lifter 60 are formed by injection molding in a manner that a melted material is injected into a mold. And, the 3 or 4 injection-molded pieces are assembled to complete the lifter 60.

However, the related art drum type washer has the following problems.

First of all, since each of the related art lifters 60 is manufactured by assembling a plurality of injection-molded pieces, a plurality of manufacturing steps are necessary. Moreover, the respective lifters 60 can be transformed by hot water supplied into the drum 20.

Secondly, the respective lifters 60 are formed separate from the drum 20 and then attached to the inner surface of the drum 20 by the hook locking. So, the laundry is stuck between the lifter 60 and the drum 20, which may break the corresponding lifter 60.

Thirdly, each of the lifters 60 has a considerably large size to reduce an overall volume of the drum.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a washer and method of forming a drum thereof that substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a washer having a lifter built-in drum and method of forming a drum thereof, by which a lifter provided within the drum can be prevented from being transformed by hot water.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a washer having a lifter built-in drum and method of forming a drum thereof, by which a laundry is prevented from being stuck between a lifter and a drum and by which the lifter can be prevented from being broken.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a washer having a lifter built-in drum and method of forming a drum thereof, by which a volume of a drum is increased by decreasing a volume of a lifter.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a washer according to the present invention includes a body, a tub provided within the body to accommodate water therein, a drum provided within the tub to have at least one lifter built in one body of the drum, and a motor for rotating the drum.

Preferably, the drum includes a drum center configuring a circumference wall of the drum and the at least one lifter is built in one body of the circumference wall by a drawing processing.

More preferably, the at least one lifter is configured to be spaced apart from each of both ends of the drum center.

Preferably, the at least one lifter includes at least four lifters.

More preferably, each of the at least four lifters is provided with an embossed part.

In this case, each of the at least four lifters is provided with a multitude of perforated holes.

And, the embossed part includes a concave portion and a convex portion configured in a length direction of each of the at least four lifters.

Moreover, a multitude of the perforated holes are provided to the concave portion of the embossed part.

Besides, each of the at least four lifters is configured to have at least one or more step differences.

And, the at least one or more step differences are configured to gradually increase toward a rear side of the drum.

In another aspect of the present invention, a lifter built-in drum includes a circumference wall and at least one lifter built in one body of the circumference wall by a drawing processing.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a method of forming a drum includes the steps of providing a lifter to a drum center by a drawing processing, seaming the drum center provided with the lifter into a cylindrical shape, and assembling a drum front and a drum back to front and rear sides of the drum center by seaming, respectively.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of a drum type washer according to a related art;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective diagram of a drum and a lifter assembled to the drum according to a related art;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of a drum type washer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective diagram of a lifter built-in drum according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective diagram of a lifter built-in drum according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a detailed perspective diagram of a lifter built-in drum according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of a drum type washer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective diagram of a lifter built-in drum according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, a washer according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a body 1, a tub 10, and a drum 300 formed in one body of at least one lifter 310. And, the washer includes a drum type washer for example.

In particular, the body 1 configures an exterior of the drum type washer and a laundry entrance 111 is provided to a front side of the body 1.

In this case, a door 140 for opening/closing the laundry entrance 111 is provided to a portion of the body 1 provided with the laundry entrance 111. And, a gasket 112 is loaded on an inner circumference of the laundry entrance 111 to achieve airtightness between the door 140 and the laundry entrance 111.

Moreover, the tub 10 is provided as supported within the body 1.

A drain passage (not shown in the drawing) is connected to a lower end of the tub 10 to drain the water.

The drum 20, which is rotatably provided within the tub 10, is installed in a manner that an opening of the drum 20 is placed toward the laundry entrance 111 of the body 110.

In particular, a multitude of perforated holes 21 are formed on a circumference of the drum 20 to enable water and steam supplied to the tub 10 to be introduced into the drum 20.

A lifter built-in drum according to an embodiment of the present invention is explained with reference to FIG. 4 as follows.

Referring to FIG. 4, the drum 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a drum center 302 formed of a steel based material to configure a circumference wall of the drum 300, a drum front 305 having a laundry loading hole 304 to be assembled to a front end of the drum center 302, a drum back 307 blocking a backside of the drum center 302, and at least one lifter 310 formed in one body of the drum center 302.

In particular, the at least one lifter 310 is formed in one body of the circumference wall 302 of the drum center 302 by a drawing processing. Preferably, the at least one lifter 310 is configured to be spaced apart from both ends of the drum center 302.

As the drum front 30 and the drum back 307 are assembled to the front and rear sides of the drum center 302 by seaming, respectively, the at least one lifter 310 is configured for the at least one lifter 310 not to interfere with the drum front 305 and the drum back 307.

Preferably, the present invention is provided with at least four lifters 310.

More preferably, the number of the lifters 310 formed built in one body of the drum 300 is set greater than that of the related art lifters. And, a volume of each of the lifters 310 is set smaller than that of the related art lifter.

If so, the at least one lifter 310 can sufficiently perform its role in a washing or rinsing cycle. And, a volume of the drum 300 can be substantially increased to correspond to the reduced volume of each of the lifters 310.

Preferably, perforated holes 311 are provided to each of the lifters 310 to enable water to go in and out of the drum 300.

In particular, if the drum 300 is rotated to place the corresponding lifter 310 in an upper part of the tub 10 in the course of the washing or rinsing cycle, the water held in the corresponding lifter 310 falls down on a lower internal part of the drum 300 via the perforated holes 311.

So, washing performance can be further enhanced in a manner that the water falling down on the lower internal part of the drum 300 comes into soaking the laundry and that a frictional force is applied to the laundry by the water falling with prescribed potential energy on the lower side of the drum 300 from the upper side of the drum 300.

A lifter built-in drum according to another embodiment of the present invention is explained with reference to FIG. 5 as follows.

FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective diagram of a lifter built-in drum according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, at least one lifter 310 is built in one body of a drum 300. And, an embossed part 400 is provided to the at least one lifter 310.

In particular, the embossed part 400 includes a concave portion 410 and a convex portion 430 in a length direction of the at least one lifter 310 to increase a frictional force between the at least one lifter 310 and a laundry, thereby playing a role in enhancing a washing power.

Preferably, a multitude of perforated holes 311 are provided to the at least one lifter 310. More preferably, a multitude of the perforated holes 311 are provided to the concave portion 410 of the embossed part 400.

In this case, the perforated holes 311 are provided to the concave portion 410 of the embossed part 400. This is to prevent the laundry from being damaged by the perforated holes 410. In particular, since the drum 20 is rotated at high speed in the course of a dewatering cycle, it is advantageous that the laundry is prevented from being damaged by the perforated holes 311.

Besides, even if the perforated holes 311 are processed coarse, it is able to minimize a damage caused to the laundry.

A lifter built-in drum according to a further embodiment of the present invention is explained with reference to FIG. 6 as follows.

FIG. 6 is a detailed perspective diagram of a lifter built-in drum according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, a plurality of step differences 500 are provided to each of a plurality of lifters 310.

Preferably, a plurality of the step differences 500 are configured to gradually increase toward a rear side of a drum 300.

In this case, each of the lifters 310 are configured to have the step differences 500 each of which increases toward the rear side of the drum 300. In case that a laundry within the drum 399 inclines toward a drum back 307 by a centrifugal force in the course of a washing or dewatering cycle, the step difference 500 in the vicinity of the drum back 307 is greater than the rest of the step differences provided to the corresponding lifter 310, a plurality of the lifters 310 are rotated to facilitate the distribution of a large quantity of the laundry in the vicinity of the drum back 307.

A method of forming a lifter built-in drum according to the present invention is explained as follows.

First of all, at least one or more lifters 310 are formed in a drum center 302 by a drawing processing. In this case, it is preferable that an embossed part 400 and a plurality of perforated holes 311 are formed together in the course of processing the at least one or more lifters 310.

Subsequently, the drum center 302 provided with the at least one or more lifters 310 is processed into a cylindrical shape by a seaming processing.

A drum front 305 and a drum back 307 are then assembled to front and rear sides of the drum center 302 by a seaming processing, respectively. Hence, a lifter built-in drum is manufactured by a series of the above steps.

An operation of the above-configured drum type washer having the lift built-in drum according to the present invention is explained as follows.

First of all, a laundry is loaded in the drum 300 to execute a washing cycle. The washer is then activated.

If so, water is supplied to the washer. After completion of the water supply, a power is applied to the motor to rotate. The drum 300 is then rotated in forward and reverse directions by the driven motor.

In doing so, the drum 300 is rotated to enable the water and laundry to be lifted to a prescribed height and fall down by each of the lifters 310. This process is repeated to bring about active friction between the embossed part 400 provided to each of the lifters 310 and the laundry. Hence, washing and rinsing of the laundry can be surely carried out.

While the drum 300 is rotated, the water is introduced into the lower lifter 310 immersed in the water among a plurality of the lifters 310 provided to the inner surface of the drum 300, and simultaneously, the water held by the upper lifter 310 falls down on the lower inside of the drum 300 via the perforated holes 311 to apply friction to the laundry within the drum 300. Hence, washing or rinsing performance of the laundry can be further enhanced.

Accordingly, the present invention provides the following effects or advantages.

First of all, in manufacturing a drum, a lifter is built in one body of the drum. Hence, the present invention reduces the number of assembly steps and the time taken for the assembly.

Secondly, as a drum and a lift are formed in one body, a connecting gap between the drum and the lifter can be eliminated. Hence, a laundry is prevented from being stuck in the gap and the lifter is prevented from being broken by a shock of the laundry.

Thirdly, a lifter is formed of a same material, e.g., steel of a drum, the present invention prevents the lifter from being transformed by high temperature within the drum and increases rigidity of a drum center to prevent the drum from being transformed in the course of high-speed dewatering.

Fourthly, a volume of a lifter is formed small and the number of lifters is raised, in the course of building a drum and a lifter in one body. Hence, the lifters of the present invention can maintain the same role of the related art lifters and a drum volume can be maximized.

Fifthly, an embossed part is provided to a lifter to increase friction between the lifter and a laundry. Hence, the present invention enhances washing performance.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A washer comprising: a body; a tub provided within the body to accommodate water therein; a drum provided within the tub to have at least one lifter built in one body of the drum; and a motor for rotating the drum.
 2. The washer of claim 1, wherein the drum comprises a drum center configuring a circumference wall of the drum and wherein the at least one lifter is built in one body of the circumference wall by a drawing processing.
 3. The washer of claim 2, wherein the at least one lifter is configured to be spaced apart from each of both ends of the drum center.
 4. The washer of claims 1, wherein the at least one lifter comprises at least four lifters.
 5. The washer of claim 4, wherein each of the at least four lifters is provided with an embossed part.
 6. The washer of claim 5, wherein each of the at least four lifters is provided with a multitude of perforated holes.
 7. The washer of claim 6, wherein the embossed part comprises a concave portion and a convex portion configured in a length direction of each of the at least four lifters.
 8. The washer of claim 7, wherein the multitude of the perforated holes are provided to the concave portion of the embossed part.
 9. The washer of claim 8, wherein each of the at least four lifters is configured to have at least one or more step differences.
 10. The washer of claim 9, wherein the at least one or more step differences are configured to gradually increase toward a rear side of the drum.
 11. A lifter built-in drum comprising: a circumference wall; and at least one lifter built in one body of the circumference wall by a drawing processing.
 12. A method of forming a drum, comprising the steps of: providing a lifter to a drum center by a drawing processing; seaming the drum center provided with the lifter into a cylindrical shape; and assembling a drum front and a drum back to front and rear sides of the drum center by seaming, respectively. 